Simple Scandi recipes for late summer - from marzipan cake to no-effort tomato salad - by Danish chef Trine Hahnemann

Tomato salad with goat’s cheese dressing This is almost more of an assembly job than a recipe, with very few ingredients and almost no cooking. In many ways, though, that’s what summer cooking is about: finding the best way to treat fresh produce in season, without masking what makes it so sweet and wonderful.SERVES 4600g tomatoes, ideally green, red and yellow, cut into wedges1 tbsp coriander seeds2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil3 dill sprigs3 chervil or parsley sprigssea salt and freshly ground black pepperFor the dressing50g soft goat’s cheese75g full-fat natural yogurt1 First make the dressing. Mix together the goat’s cheese and yogurt in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.2 Place the tomato wedges on a serving plate.3 Put the coriander seeds and oil in a frying pan over a low heat and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until golden. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t catch. Pour them over the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.4 Drizzle the tomatoes with the goat’s cheese dressing, chop the herbs roughly and strew them over the dish, mix gently and serve right away.Scandic porchetta (Rullesteg) Rullesteg is a kind of porchetta, but without crackling, with a light and summery herb, garlic and lemon stuffing. We serve it with salads and classic potato salad. It is always included on our summer menu for family parties.SERVES 82.5kg skin-on pork collar or neck joint, cut into a slab5 sage sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped5 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped10 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled and roughly chopped100ml extra virgin olive oilsea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.2 Place the pork, skin-side down, on a large work surface. Put the chopped herbs in a bowl with the garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, then spread out the herb-olive oil mix to cover the flesh side of the meat. Roll the joint so all the flavourings are encased inside the meat, using kitchen string to tie the joint tightly at 2cm intervals, as far as possible.3 Sprinkle the rullesteg with salt and pepper, place in a roasting tin and roast for 2-2½ hours. After 2 hours, check the temperature in the middle of the roast with a probe thermometer: it should measure around 58C when it is done. Leave to rest for 15 minutes before carving.Summer frikassé Frikassé is traditionally a stew with meat and vegetables. I like to make it without meat, just using all of summer’s deliciously sweet seasonal vegetables. You can easily substitute some of the vegetables listed here with whatever you have available; that also goes for the herbs.SERVES 42 spring onions, finely sliced2 tbsp salted butter400g new potatoes250ml white wine2 bay leaves2 small fennel bulbs, finely sliced10 asparagus spears, woody stalks removed (reserve to use in stocks or soups), spears cut into 3 pieces each1 head of pak choi, sliced into 1cm slices4 tbsp finely chopped tarragon leaves6 tbsp finely chopped chervil leaves200ml single creamfreshly grated nutmegsea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 Sauté the spring onions in the butter in a sauté pan over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add the potatoes, wine and bay leaves. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, cover and allow to simmer until the potatoes are al dente (7-10 minutes), checking with the point of a knife.2 Now add the fennel, asparagus, pak choi, chopped tarragon and chervil and the single cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, season to taste with nutmeg, sea salt and freshly ground pepper, then serve.Courgette filo tart Courgettes are a staple in my life. I use them for so many things, and this filo tart is something else. Filo is easy to work with and I love how crunchy it gets. Serve this hot out of the oven with a salad; any leftovers are good cold the next day, too.SERVES 4150g butter6 sheets of filo pastry1 green courgette, cut into 5mm slices1 yellow courgette, cut into 5mm slices2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil3 spring onions, finely sliced5 thyme sprigssea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat.2 Now unfold the filo pastry, but keep it covered with a clean damp tea towel as you work, to prevent it from drying out. Place 1 sheet on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, then brush it carefully with melted butter. Brush the next sheet and place it on top of the first. Repeat the process, so the 6 sheets of pastry form a rectangle with a layer of butter between each, making sure the top sheet is also brushed with butter.3 Place the courgette slices on top of the filo, brush them with the olive oil, sprinkle the spring onion slices over evenly, along with the thyme, then finally a grind of salt and pepper.4 Bake for 30 minutes and serve straight out of the oven, alongside the tomato salad with goat’s cheese dressing (see recipe above).Marzipan cake with strawberry cream A cake I have eaten all my life, starting as a child when my mormor (grandmother) would bake it often at our beach house. It is now my classic summer cake recipe. You can serve the strawberry cream on top or on the side.SERVES 8-10200g marzipan, ideally the Scandinavian variety (at least 60% almonds)250g caster sugar250g softened butter, plus more for the tin5 eggs70g plain flourFor the glaze200g 70% cocoa solids chocolate1 tsp butterTo serve1 vanilla pod200ml double cream50g icing sugar200g strawberries, hulled and quartered200g raspberries1 Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.2 Grate the marzipan and mix with the sugar in a bowl; you’ll get the best result using electric beaters. Add the butter and whisk again until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking between each addition, until the mixture is even and smooth. Fold in the flour.3 Butter a 26cm round cake tin, scrape the dough into the tin and bake for 45 minutes; if the surface gets too dark, cover it with foil. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.4 For the glaze, melt the chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl placed over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Spread it over the cake while you make the cream.5 Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the tip of the knife. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds. Place the cake on a serving platter, mound the cream on top, decorate with the berries, then serve.Crunchy herbed chicken saladAn extremely useful recipe for leftover chicken, of which I always seem to have a lot in summer. If you don’t have leftovers, you can fry 200g of chicken breast instead, then shred it into thin strips. This is a light dish that’s a perfect I’m-not-turning-the-stove-on lunch for hot days.SERVES 2-3200g leftover chicken, shredded or cut into small pieces12 asparagus spears, woody stalks removed (and reserved for stocks or soups), spears cut into 1cm slices1 cucumber, cut lengthways into 4 pieces and then into 1cm pieces10 radishes, roughly chopped6 tbsp chopped curly parsley leaves3 tbsp finely chopped mint leavessea salt and freshly ground black pepper4-6 slices of rye bread, to serveFor the dressingfinely grated zest of 1 lemon2 tsp Dijon mustard1 tsp honey1 tsp white wine vinegar2 tbsp lemon juice3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Mix with all the vegetables and the chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.2 Now make the dressing: start by whisking together the lemon zest, mustard and honey, then add the vinegar and lemon juice then, finally, gradually drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.3 Just before you want to eat it, gently toss the salad with the dressing and serve with rye bread.Skagen toastThis is made with freshly peeled prawns from Greenland, a delicacy which are sweet and firm. It’s a classic that we eat for lunch, or as a starter, during the summer months in Scandinavia.SERVES 4400g Greenland prawns, or local sustainable prawns200g mayonnaise4 tbsp full-fat natural yogurt3-4 tbsp lemon juice6 tbsp chopped dillsea salt and freshly ground black pepperTo serve50g salted butter4 slices of white bread1 Peel the prawns.2 In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and dill, add the prawns and fold them in gently, then season with salt and pepper.3 Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the bread over a medium heat on both sides, until golden and lightly crisp.4 Place the prawn salad on the warm fried toasts and serve right away.Chilled Cucumber SoupI take issue with those who say cucumbers don’t have much flavour. I love their refreshing, light green taste, with a hint of peas… it’s like eating a summer day! This is great everyday food for hot summer days, though, to be honest, I could eat it every day. You’ll need to start this recipe at least 8 hours before you plan to eat it.SERVES 43½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 shallots, chopped2 cucumbers, roughly chopped200ml white wine1 litre vegetable stock2 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon leaves2 tbsp finely chopped mint leavesjuice of 1 lemon, plus more to serve1sea salt and freshly ground black pepperTo serve200g full-fat natural yogurtcrispbread1 Place a large saucepan over a medium heat, add a little of the oil, then sauté the shallots for a few minutes until translucent. Add the cucumbers and wine and let it bubble for a few minutes, then pour in the stock.2 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.3 When the soup has cooled, blend it with the herbs, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour into a mixing bowl and season to taste with the lemon juice and more salt and pepper.4 Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight.5 Before serving, taste and season again with lemon juice, salt and pepper, if needed. Serve chilled, with yogurt and crispbread.NOW BUY THE BOOKOur recipes are from Midnight Sun by Trine Hahnemann with photographs by Kim Lightbody (Quadrille, £25). To order a copy for £21.25 until 30 August, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.